davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

termination and GOODNESS, were shown BY his
heroic and stoical attitude during his trial
The defendant sat erect and motionloss, sur
, rounded a by ha " family. hardly moving
sometimes almost tragic proceedings. The
following account Of his life is condensed from
the speech OF Mr. Argo, in opening the case
for the defense:
John Arensdorf was born in the town of
Heinstereit, Belgium, in the year 1851. His
the proper age John was sent to school, where
ne remained few years and received fair
education. His father not being able to longer
continue him at school, 1t the age of IL ne Was
placed in the care Of one of the best brewers
y; m. Belgium IN He made rapid progress 10 his
the close of the Franco-Prussian war and the
disbandment Of the large armies Of France
and Prussia, the return home Of large num-
Dor Of men seeking employment greatly re-
duced the wages Of laboring men in Belgium,
dorf, being Of an industrious and energetic
disposition, with many others. emigrated to
the United States He landed at Castle Gar
den, New York, in 1871. He pushed his way
westward, stopping at town called Canal
Finding employment 1t his trade, he worked
in brewery at small wages for the period Of
seven months, during which time he acquired
some knowledge Of tho English language. He
tnen went to the city OF Cleveland, where he
worked in brewery five montha He was
taken down sick with the fever and ague, from
the effects Of which he was almost reduced to
skeleton, and being unable to shake of the
disease, his physician advised him to change
his residence to another climate. He travelled
west to the city Of Chicago, at which place
he soon recovered and At once found employ
ment, where he worked in brewery for
two years! The price for the labor Of
one 80 skilled in the business Of brew
ing being better in Milwaukee, he
went to that city, where he worked one year.
In 1874, he went to St Cloud, Mimi, where
he was employed as head brewer or foreman.
In st Cloud the defendant became acquainted
with young lady, whom he married, and
With whom he is now living. In 1877, Mr..
Franz. of Sioux City, being in need Of =
skilled brewer, employed MI. Arensdorf. He
moved to Sioux City and by Mr.. Franz WAS
made foreman in his brewery. During all of
this time he was working for wagesL Upon
the death Of Mr.: Franz and his partner, the
Franz brewing company was formed, and Mr.
Aronsdorf was given On interest in the COM
pany. retaining his position % foreman of the
business of the new company up to the pres
ent time.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
TREMENDOUS SENSATION.
The Crime Ar0uses Public Indignation AM
Brings Storm Demands for Justice.

The Crime Arouses Public Indignation and
Brings Storm Demands for JusticC.
Every reader of this paper is aware of the
tremen' Gus sensation which this awful crime
produced It was felt that the assassination
of Hadd0ck had cast z stain upon Sioux City
and the State; that the open defiance of law
which had diseraced her 30 long had cuimi
mated in the inevitable result Of rebellion.
The moment that shot was fired, the instant
the first drop of blood was spilled from that
sturdy heart, occurred q revolution of senti-
ment in Sioux City such a is seldom expert
enced Those who had been lukewarm grew
suddenly hot; those who cared neither for
prohibition nor antl-prohibition stood up for
law and order; the city council, which but Z
few months before assisted in incubating the
lawless state of affairs by openly collecting
q license from business conducted in def
ancc Of the laws of tho State, became ashamed
OF itself and voted money for funeral OK
penses and to aid in conviction of the guilty
ones, the resolution being introduced BY Z
liquor seller and violent anti-pr0hibiionist
Gov. Larrabee offered . reward OF $500 for
the apprehension and conviction of the muir
derer. This, swelled by the offers of the city,
the Methodist Conference and other orgaui2s-
tons, made . reward of q, sou, which stimu-
lated the authorities in efforts 1t detection.
But the officers were hampered by = sentiment
on the part of certain element which would
not down, and the coroner's jury, which sat
for many weary weeks, found it difficult to
fasten the crime upon any particular person
- the one who fired the shot,
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
OPENING OF THE TRIAL.
Arensilorf Answers tho Terrible Chars,
the Bar Of Justice.

Arenstlorf Answers tho Terrible Charge 1T
the Bar Of Justice.
Woodbury. County Court House, in which
the noted trial took place, 10 large and hand
some building, occupying quarter block on
one Of the most convenient sites in the city.
The basement is used - . jail and residence
pied BY roomy and convenient County t ot Ss
vaults, etc. and the second floor il devoted to
the court, jury and witness rooms. The coil
ing is high, and the courtroom will hold.
when taxed to its utmost capacity, nearlv Q
o%t Ss e5s:t
Court convened on the morning of March g.
1887, with Judge Lewis on the be oh Hon.
N. D: OConnell, Of Fort Dodge, States Attor-
ney Marsh, E. B. Hubbard and sp.ulding l.
Taylor, Of Sioux City, represented tho State,
X Gray. Judge Peedleten, ": q. cIsri, 4 F.
GSty, and g. " A AeHS Of L. s sten.
appeared for the defense The entire day vs.
consumed in drawing jury. but tho twelve
S% s xss:
are: John Gc &c & A 6! B.rt'stt John john
Madden, Thos Crilley. Dennis Murphy, G. @:
Goss, Thos Frazer. W. P. rannell, D. Rolf
f 1,FE, E Webster John Adair and John D.
In the afternoon the case was fairly opened
by the speech on the part Of tho state by H. J.
Taylor The defendant, accompanied BY HE
wife and children, was prominent figure,
and toward him the eyes Of hundreds Of cur
ious spectators were directed Arensdorf ct
at the end Of tho long table occupied by his
attorneys. with bead erect and eyes looking
straight before him. He occupied this posi-
ton during the whole Of tho trial, seeming
hardly moved by tho most dramatic and thz1ll
ing incidents brought out in testimony
Mr.: ArRo responded 70 Mr.. Tayior's speech,
promising to prove TO the satisfaction Of tho
jury that John Arensdorf could not have
shot and killed Geo. c. Haddock on tho night
OF August 8, 1881, - he was not in the vicinity
Of the tragedy, and knew nothing about II I'M
til sometime afterward ''Whethor tho ev-
idence," said Mr.. Argo, will satisfy You that
one Harry Leavitt fred tho fatal shot on tho
night Of the Sd Of August last, which has
caused 20 much sorrow and trouble In this
community, will not ct this time undertake
to s.y. but win Say that tie evidence viii
sSo my S manner ~ sSs
killing Of Mr.. Haddoci; that tho
very first intimation he had that any person
on earth accused or suspected that he Was In
any manner connected with the death Of Mr..
HaddocK was when the officer having tho war
rant for his arrest notified him Of tho fact
that he had In his possession such an instru-
ment, and even then the defendant thought
the officer was jesting. Knowing that he was
innocent he could not imagine that any per-
son could be 20 pase % to make such false
accusation against him The evidence viii
satisfy Won that no person accused tho de-
with the killing Of Mr.. haddock until Harry
l. Leavitt, in order to divert attention from
himself, made what people have called . con-
feesion."
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

Some Detailed Points, Designed to Give .
Mental vision of the Spot.
1twperhaps necessary, in order that the
general reader may thoroughly understand
many Of the points brought out in evidence on
tho trial, to give more detailed description
Of the spot whore Haddock fell, and an analy-
sig Of it's surroundings.
Fourth street il broad and handsome thor
oughfare, running almost directly east and
west, from the Floyd river on the cast to Perry
Creek on the west 1t is the latter stream
which divides theEast from tho West Side Of
Perry creek bridge Fourth street becomes
West Third, and changes it, direction t. west
by northwest The bridge 10 . common wood
structure, perhaps SIXTY feet long
-, On tho southwest corner Of Fourth and
W: ssa street, within few fest 81 the bridss
wood building, used. - the name implies, -
hotel On the southeast corner 10 the extern
sive wagon and blacksmith shop Of Dineen
BroA On the northwest corner is Z cornice
man@factory, and on the northeast corner :
small blacksmith shop East Of this, ON Fourth
street. is a. vacant lot, and beyond that res
taurant, known IS the @Lone Star" Merrill's
livery stable is fifty feet south of the Colum-
bla House, on the west side Of Water street.
south OF this was the engine house Of the Fire
Department. :.
II is shown that tho murderer, Immediately
after firing the fatal shot, hesitated moment
and then ran, followed by his compan: on.
Whether these two men ran north on Water
street, or west across the bridge to the Franz
brewery, on West Third, was one of the prin-
cipal points disputed on the trial. The reader
will see that If the former was the case it were
reasonable to suppose that Leavitt was the
murderers, and If the latter it was Arens-
dorf and his man, Henry Peters.
Tho murderers and conspirators quickly
dispersed, and the first attention OF the crowd
which gathered was directed toward tho dead
minister.
The body was taken to the Methodist par
sonage, which Mr.. Haddock had but = few
hours before quilted, full of life, vigor and
determination The coroner was summoned,
and the report Of physicians was sent to tide
coroner's jury, showing that deceased came
to his death BY an injury to the left carotid
arterv and other points, the bullet entering At
tho base Of the neck, . little above tho loft
shoulder blade, passing directly through the
neck aud making lts exit ct = point midway
between tho angle Of the jaw and symphisis.
The wound was made by = bullet of large
size.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

The Grand Jury 1ntlict John Arcnsdorl
for the Murder.

The Grand Jury Intlict John Arcnsdorf
for the Murder.
The evidence Of q conspiracy, however, was
made plain by this investigation. Harry L.
Le.vitt John Arensdorf, Paul Leader, Fred
1R Gen. ,etsl and rs
were indicted as conspirators, and, although
the verdict Of the coroner's jury was kept
secret at that time, it is now known that H.
l. Lesvitt was indicted As the actual murderer.
.. In the meantime Ieavitt, Plath, Granda,
Koschnitski and Treiber had fled from justice.
The officers were indefatigable in their efforts
to find these mon and bring them back to
Sioux City. knowing that where 90 many were
engaged some would be almost sure to turn
states evidence, and that the facts would be
brought out
At last tho whereabouts 6f Leavitt were A.
ney in the injunction cases, and by F. A. Hill,
. newspaper man. .Leavitt was induced to
come 10 Chicago from Mobile, Ala, where no
was engaged in tho theatrical business. and
from him WAS obtained Z remarkable ''confes-
related tho incidents Of the tragedy, and
charged John Arensdorf with the murder.
Leevitt was promised immunity by the State
authorities, il it should appear on tho trial
that he was telling the truth, and that Areus-
crime But City Marshal James Stanley and
Chief Of Police James Melon were ct work on
another track. They had ascertained the de-
tails Of Geo Treiber's plot ito whip tho
preacher" and knew that il they could find
"Bismsrck" and Grauda, the two men who had
been hired to do the beating, important facts
would most likely be ELECTED. It was found
that Bismarck" had gone to California, and
thither Chief Melon went, armed with the
proper documents for bringing him back to
Iowa. Melon started from San Francisco with
his prisoner on the very day that Leavitt made
his statement in Chicago, and tho accounts Of
the killing given by these two witnesses tally
in almost every particular: When these re-
markable facts were made known to tho grand
jury, despite all predictions to the contrary,
John Arensdorf was indicted ~ principal IN
the crime, and his colleagues, named above,
were also indicted for murder and conspiracy.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

and An ardent prohibitionist He was man
Of aggressive temperament and tremendous
energy. When convinced that he was in the
right he went straight ahead, with vie " and
determination that cared not for pinchea fin-
gers Although greatly beloved by his church
people, who knew hum familiarly, and ad-
mired for his bravery by al who love manli-
ness, his plain spoken truths were sometimes
cutting, and he was one to gain enemies
among those whom he opposed
Such was the man who entered upon the
work Of closing Sioux City's saloons He re-
allied thatit was an arduous and danger Gus
task, and his friends recall remarks which
even lead to the belief that he expected
death or great bodily injury. but
his WAS = nature which never quailed in the
line of duty. He was man of powerful frame
and nerve, and this, added to his pluck and
determination, made him dangerous man to
trife with. It is probable that, had the origi-
nal conspiracy to beat him been carried out,
some one Of his asssilants would have come
out with = broken head. Some years before
his death, during temperance agitation At
Sheboygan Falls, Via. Mr. Haddock was At
tackled and brutally beaten by a crowd Of
roughs, who warned him to leave the vicinity
and save his life. In the face of these threats
Mr.. Haddock insisted on returning and speak
ing again, when no was not molested.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
PROHIBITION IN IOWA.
Brief sketch Of tho Anti-Liquor Movement
In tho Hawkeye State.

Brief Sketch Of tho Anti-I.iquor Movement
In tho Hawkeye State.
In the early days OF the States history,
when ito resources and advantages ~ IN ag-
rlcultural and manufacturing region first be-
gan to attract attention, effort was made to de-
velope the grape growing, wine making, beer
brewing and distilling interests. So great
was the success Of this effort, and 80 mani
fold the advantages Of its soil and climate to
these snds that many year, since the beer,
to assume great importance. Immense brew
cries wore established at various points, and
one OF the largest distilleries in tho world
was located 1T Des Moines Farmers, labor
ers and dealers derived sure and large profits
from the existence and growth of these in
dustries, and alcohol became power in po-
itical and business circles.
But from the first there has existed strong
anti-iquor sentiment in the state, particularly
in the rural districts. While the large cities
gains on the sale Of intoxicating beverages,
there steadily grew feeling against those
beverages, until the voice of this element was
no longer drowned in the clink Of glasses, and
AZ long % thirty years ago began the first Or
gained effort toward making Iowa !. prohibi-
hibit the sale Of ill alcoholic beverages, save
ale, wine and beer" This law was persistent
ly violated, and, in fact, became practically
null and VOID Whisky, gin and brandy we're
t sc!d Is openly :: 6eeG It became evident to
Lutte and effective prohibition wss the only
way to check the increase Of drunkenness and
lawlessness. Prohibition WAS adopted by
vote Of the people Defects having been dis
covered IN this law, second vote was taken
was further strengthened BY the weii-knovn
*Clark law" which not only made it possible
TO close al saloons and drinking places, but
provided enectual means for keeping them
prohibition and anti prohibition elements &C.
tually began. The great majority Of the vast
number Of Germans in the state, who think
their beer % harmless ~ water, were not in
favor Of this law With them being Joined
Thousands Of manufacturer, distllers, brew
e!s, saloonkeepers and bartenders, formida-
bic array Wa made against the effort to keep
liquor out of the state
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

T. stage name" He was born In New
York city, and At an early ~ became
variety actor: He Also trsveled
extensively, having visited nearly ovory prin-
clPsl city in the United States. After 4 feV
years experience ~ IN actor, Lesvitt became
manager of theatrical troupes, and finally
started variety theater in Leevenworth, Kan.
This place, from reliable accounts, Wss low
dive, where liquor was sold in defiance Of the
prombitlon laws Of that State. and whore
questionable performances were given for the
delectation Of buns, thieves, thugs aud pros
titutes: In January, 1885, Leavitt came to
sioux City and opened . similar resort. call
ing 1t the Standard theater This place was
closed during the summer, and Leavitt had
just returned to the city after IN eastern tip
when the conspiracy was formed He made
costly improvements in his theater, and vas
preparing to reopen tho place when tho crime
of August 3 cut short his plans.
Leavitt 10 rather tall and heavy. handsome
form, neatly dressed, wears light mustache
and has brown owes. He 10 gentlemanly IN
his bearing and IL good talker. His testi-
mony whom on the witness stand was given
directly, intelligently and in good Language,
although somewhat favored with theatrical
slang aud technical expressions His descrip-
ton Of the shooting, % given before tho Jury,
was dramatic in the extreme.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
IGNORING THE LAW.

Development Of Organized Efforts to Defeat
tho win Of tho People.
Therefore prohibition, though it had been
adopted by popular vote and by an over
whelming majority, VA anything but popular
In many cities especially tho idea Obtained that
the closing Of saloons aud drinking places
would ''hurt TIE town" The loss Of revenue
attending tho licensing Of these places was de-
eensed - before the adoption Of the prohibi-
ton amendment While this course 10 not to
be understood - in actual deaanoe Of tho
State law, still an effort was made to collect
tacit understanding that such - paid should
not be interfered with by the MUNICIPAL All
thorites: This course was adopted in Sioux
City, and sanctioned and approved by ma
ness mems petition" was simply public ex-
preston Of sentiment, resolving that the g.
looms ought not to be interfered with
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
Who Sat Oh the Bench During Arens-
DORIS Trial.

Who Sat on the Bench During Arens-
DORIS Trial.
c. H. Lewis, who patiently and impartially
listened to the trial Of John Arensdorf, and
decided the nice legal points which constantly
his decisions have been credited Is particularly
hard ON violators of the prohibition laws, his
conduct Of the cases brought before him IL
uniformly fair and judicial, and it is not I'M
til 4 prisoner is decided to be guilty by the
Jury that the rigor of his decisions 10 felt
His court is model of order and dispatch,
his decisions are made promptly and firmly,
and he tolerates no sparriug among attorneys
nor levity IN the audience. Judge Lewis is
said to bear remarkable resemblance to Gen.
Grant during his younger days, and those VINO
have seen him readily note the similarity of
expression. His kindly mouth is balanced by
shaped head bears witness of the qualities Of
mind and heart which go to mako up tho
proper candidate for the bench.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21
SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE.
Condensed Report Of Evidence Introduced
by tho State.

Condensed Report OF Evidence introduced
by tho State.
The first witness introduced by the State wss
Deputy Sheriff ". c. Davenport, who was fol-
lowed by James Melon. The reader Is already
acquainted with such information - wss
elected from them. DR.. r. E. Commit, who Ut
tho time Of the murder WAS acting as Deputy
Coroner. testified to the condition Of the 6ody
testimony almost identical with the above.
Rev. G. G. Turner described the trip to Cream
vile with DR.. Haddock on the fatal night,
Wesley Hitchner. Thomas Jarvis and John
McGregor. hostlcrs At Aorrilrs livery stable,
point Following il the story Of
JOHN M'aREGoR:
n worked at NerrilIs livery stable last Au-
gust, and was there tho night Of the murder;
was there when Hsddock and Turner got
the rig; thoy got covered buggy and buck
skin horse, and said they were going to Greon-
vile: after they left I went away and was
gone half hour; I don't remembor seeing
1 name s Of o turner Va. entered On tho :ts
Bile book; was there whom the rig came
back, and helped unhitch; Haddock spoke to
Jarvis; kept on unhitching the horse, and
saw Haddock 60 ont the second time; heard
tho shot; it wasn't moro than quarter Of
door; / saw Hsddock stumbling in the street,
and men running across the vacant lot and up
the street; tho vacant lot on tho northeast cor
nor Of Water and Fourth streets; there were
men standing 1T Dineen's corner whom Had
dock drove in-four or five OF them there;
there were none there after the shooting when
looked; five or ak men were running across
the vacant lot and two or three up Water
street; Haddock was . little moro than half
way across Water street; he staggered and
fell couple of times and fell the last ct
Dineen's corner; he made low sort Of noise;
We went over to HIM; Ryan got thore about
tho same time We did; won't 10 tho barn and
rot some water; I saw Hsddock's cane lying
about the center Of the crossing. Croes-ex-
amined BY Argo: Hsddock didn't speak; the
noise he made va indistinct; didn't SEQ the
shot fred
HENRY VAN INGHAM,
an old man who lived 1T the west end Of the
br. deo at tho time Of the murder, stated that
he heard ono shot, and shortly afterward two
or three more, and heard some one cry, s0b,
dear" Ihs1, % he was looking out Of tho
window, Van 1ngham saw.two men run across
tho bridge He believed that ono Of theos uaen
va John Arensdorf Opposite his house n
tho brewery Across the bridge from the east
side ran Afenslosf and Peters, the beer wagon
driver, who u still missing. Coming west
towarde tho brewery and when about sethe
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

Chief Of the States ATTIC rncys in the Arens-
dOrf Trial.
stephen N; Marsh, principal Of the States
attorneys in this case, has had = long and BRIL-
liant experience ~ prosecutor: Previous to
the recent change he had been district sttor-
ney for several terms, and in tho fall Of 1886
was elected county attorney, the Office Of dis
trict attorney having been abolished. Al
Marsh practices mono Of the bulldozing tac-
tics 90 common to prosecuting attorneys, his
treatment of witnesses and allusions to pris-
oners being uniformly kind and courteous.
He is IN eloquent speaker and particularly
happy in the faculty Of bringing out dramatic
isl man of handsome presence, has dark,
curly hair and beard and wears gold-rimmed
eye-glassea He is tireless worker, and has
accomplished the work of tho trial just ended
in Z complete and satisfactory manner
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

whore he was regarded ~ = fine scholar and
trade Of printer, and after working a. :
5ourneyman few years became the publisher
Of = paper 1t Beaver Dam, Wis. When 20
years Of ago he married Miss Cordelis Herrick.
He entered the university ct Port Warrington,
Wa: in 1853, and subsequently was located
ton, Fond du Lac, Racine and milwaukee, He
came to Iowa in $780, and was first
located 1t Burlington From there he went to
Fort Dodge, and in October, 1885, assumed his
pastorate at Sioux CITY. For years Mr.. Had
dock had been prominent in temperance work,
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-04-21

sheriff of Woodbury. County, and . Terror
to Criminals.
Dan Mcdonald, the auburn-haired sheriff of
Woodbury. county, although not far past the
10th milestone Of life, is old in experience.
and is credited with being one Of the most
acute and successful detectors Of criminals in
tho State of Iowa. He has had in his charge
during the time that he has been deputy and
sheriff of the county, thousands Of thieves,
every one Of them safely In the penitenisry,
when the verdict Of the jury has sent them
that way. II IL seldom that criminal, the
warrant for whose arrest is placed in Sheriff
HcDonald's hands, is not speedily hunted